Sun, 10/26/2003 - 00:00

Bayakoa's Image dominates in Black Mesa

Bayakoa's Image defended her title in the $35,000 Black Mesa at Remington Park on Saturday when she turned in a dominating, nine and a half length win over Devout Sinner in the seven furlong race for fillies and mares bred in Oklahoma.

It was another two lengths back in third to Racing Sundown.

Bayakoa's Image($7.20) withstood some early pace pressure from Racing Sundown, then drew out through the stretch, covering the distance in 1:23.92. The win came on the heels of her more than eight length romp in the $35,000 Oklahoma Classics Day Distaff in September.

Sun, 10/26/2003 - 00:00

Academic Angel relishes muddy going

Academic Angel overtook pacesetter She's The Future into the stretch and powered home to a five and a half length win in the $35,000 Jiffy Lube at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. Scheduled for turf, the race was moved to a muddy main track because of rains in the area. It was another eight lengths back in third to Won Ton Win.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Santa Anita again is Mandella's world

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Richard Mandella hopes it doesn't take 10 years for the Breeders' Cup to return to Santa Anita.

In 1993, the last time the Breeders' Cup was held here, Mandella won two Breeders' Cup races and four overall on the card. Saturday, Mandella trumped that accomplishment by winning four of the eight Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita, capped by an upset victory by Pleasantly Perfect ($30.40) in the $4 million Classic.

"I think they just ought to move it here, myself," Mandella said.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Payoffs both big and small on day

ARCADIA, Calif. - It was almost impossible. It was too easy. From wagers such as the Breeders' Cup pick six and future wager, to head-to-head wagering that requires nothing more than one horse finishing ahead of another, Breeders' Cup 2003 offered something for everyone.

Horseplayers poured $4,489,454 into the Breeders' Cup pick six pool, and a series of upsets sliced things down to just one winning ticket. It returned $2,687,611.60. Five winners paid $18,663.80.

The winning payoffs were much shorter in head-to-head wagering.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Randaroo ends Castillo's drought

ELMONT, N.Y. - Randaroo emerged from a four-way scramble for the lead to set a pressured pace around the turn, opened up a clear lead in midstretch, and staved off a rally from 1-2 favorite Shine Again in Saturday's $150,000 First Flight Handicap at Belmont.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Keeneland: M B Sea stuns Tenpins

M B Sea ended the Keeneland fall meet on a surprising note by defeating heavily favored Tenpins by a length in the 45th running of the $163,800 Fayette Stakes.

Owned by Mike Bruder and trained by Dale Romans, M B Sea, a 4-year-old colt by 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup, returned $71.40 as the longest shot in a field of seven older horses. Always in a good tracking position under Craig Perret, M B Sea finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.30 over a fast track.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Woodbine: Favorite prevails

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Winter Garden ($3.50) seized command in midstretch en route to a workmanlike victory in the $136,125 Ontario Fashion Handicap.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

College Honor takes Bergen County

College Honor ($14) took command out of the gate and never looked back, winning the $40,000 Bergen County Stakes by a head at The Meadowlands on Friday night. Trained by Richard Vega and ridden by Nick Santagata, College Honor covered the five furlongs over a firm turf course in 56.47 seconds. Running Furiously completed the $86.20 exacta, and Impolite was third.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Gorham has strong duo

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Trainer Bob Gorham will have a powerful one-two punch when Great Lakes Downs ends its 2003 meeting Tuesday evening.

Rockem Sockem and Heza Mountain Man should be the favorites in the $34,888-added Michigan Futurity, which was split after 14 2-year-old Michigan-bred colts and geldings were entered.

All entrants will carry 122 pounds in the seven-furlong races, which will be the first two of the 11-race card.

Rockem Sockem had one of the best performances of the meet, winning his division of the Michigan Sire Stakes by 12 lengths.

Sat, 10/25/2003 - 00:00

Skymaster gives Parisi's stable a lift

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Paul Parisi has more on his mind than trying to win races.

Parisi, like many trainers based in New Jersey, thinks a lot about the winter that is rapidly approaching. He will head to Florida, but he doesn't have enough stalls there. Parisi needs 11 at Gulfstream Park, and he was allocated only four.

"Worrying about it really eats me up inside," Parisi said. "My stock fits down there. I've got horses ready to go down there and run."